Saving Asa
by MissDevon
Summary: Natalie stops Clint from paying David the 10 mil to protect her father, and pays him herself. Now, with the help of her brother, Kevin, she finds there's only one way to keep Asa out of jail too bad the only way to save Asa invovles him dying.
1. Chapter 1

This story is slightly AU: changing who David gets the money from to donate his liver in part because I just can't believe that they are really killing the character of Asa. So this is my take on how David gets his money, Asa stays out of jail, there's a funeral, and how if spoilers are true there's upset at BE and a certain someone gets away with a crime. . .

**Saving Asa**

Chapter 1

"You want what for what?" Natalie asked incredulously from the doorway to her grandfather's living room.

Closing his eyes, Clint inhaled heavily: "Natalie, forget what you just heard and go upstairs. Or to the car," he ordered his daughter.

"A bit late for that," she said as she continued into the living room, her eyes squarely on David Vickers as she took in his measure and completely ignored her father and his girlfriend. "And Dad, I think you're the one who should leave. I'll handle David," she added staring the other man down, to his surprise.

"Oh you will, will you?" David asked amused.

"Natalie, dear, you don't have the experience to handle someone of David's. . . particular, charms," Dorian put in, trying to spin the situation to her advantage and keep herself in Clint's good graces.

Rolling her eyes, Natalie turned on her heel and looked Dorian up and down before exhaling and tilting her head back and looking at her father: "both of you get out of here before you make this worse for everyone involved."

"Natalie," Clint started to protest.

"I'll handle it," she reiterated. "Now go to the hospital. We'll meet you there in a little while," Natalie said confidently as she crossed her arms over her chest and started to tap her foot impatiently.

Shaking his head at the gleam he saw in his daughter's eyes, Clint nodded in defeat and put his arm through Dorian's. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"I do."

"Just be careful," he admonished.

"I always am," she replied as she watched them leave and then wheeled around to face David, her red hair flying behind her. "So, 10 million dollars to save my sister's life huh?"

David shrugged: "it's what I'm owed by this family," he said in defense of himself.

"For a job you didn't actually complete," she shot back, watching as his eyes widened in surprise. "Really, David, how stupid do you think I am? Just one thing. Confirm for me the reason why John's sniffing around Marty Saybrook's skirt before I write out the check."

David only laughed at her as he replied flippantly: "he likes her legs."

"I'll make it for 5 million then."

"What your sister not worth 10?"

"She's not worth the jail time for being an accessory after the fact," Natalie shot back.

"But the information is?"

Natalie shrugged: "consider it a balm to my wounded ego."

"Fine. Marty confessed to killing Spencer. Mcpain in the ass isn't buying it. Not that I did either. It's why I'm out on this little furlough and out the 10 million your grandfather promised me," he blurted out.

Natalie bit her lip and narrowed her eyes as she mentally counted to ten and then exhaled. "And once more, John's hero complex runs on overload," she muttered as she spun around on her heel and crossed the room to the coffee table.

"Hey. You tricked me! You said you just wanted me to confirm why John was sniffing around her skirt!" David complained as he followed her, checking out her assets as he did.

"You did," Natalie replied as she finished writing out the check and stood, glaring at him knowingly. "I just didn't know what Lawrence had on her. Now I do."

"Lawrence had on her? Huh?" he asked as she slapped the check against his chest and picked up her purse.

"Don't strain yourself trying to figure it out," she chided. "Now let's get to the hospital. My sister doesn't have a lot of time."

"Sure. We'll just stop and deposit this on the wa a-a-a-y--- HEY!" he started only to stop short both verbally and physically as he was following her into the vestibule.

"What now?"

"This is only for 5 million!"

"Like I said, David. I'm not stupid. Five now. Five after you go through with the surgery. Just consider it an incentive not to back out. Now let's go."

David rolled his eyes: "I would've rather dealt with your father."

"I've sure you would've. Now either we leave now or I report you to my Uncle Bo for extortion and black market organ dealing."

David paused, taking her measure to see if she was bluffing: "You willing to take that kind of chance on your sister's life?"

Natalie merely took the two steps that separated them to stand toe to toe with them and stared him in the eye, unflinching as she picked lint off of his collar and carelessly related a story she would rather forget: "my mother was willing to let a man take the heart from my chest instead of Jessie's to save the life of her bastard of a father. The man who sexually abused her as a child and caused her to split into her alters. Something like that's hard to forget, no matter how much you try to. No matter how much time passes.

I might not want to be the cause of my sister's death, but you push me, Vickers, and I'll do what I have to."

"Damn, you are a cold one, aren't you?" he muttered as he stepped back. "No wonder McBain threw you over for Doctor Death."

"For the record, I dumped John," Natalie said breezily as she turned towards the door and tossed back her hair, pulling her jacket down with her shaking hands as she looked over her shoulder at David with far more confidence than she felt at the moment: "now are we going or am I calling Bo?"

"Yeah, sure.. We're going. Harder ways to earn 10 million dollars," he conceded as he followed her out of the house. At least I'll be on my back for most of it."

"Something tells me it won't be the first time."

"I'll rephrase that--- I'll be asleep."

"Not to mention that you'll be saving someone's life instead of taking one," Natalie couldn't help but retort as she opened the driver's side door of her car.

"Hey! I only pretended to. I'm a lot of things. A murders not one of them."

"Whatever David," Natalie sighed. "Just get in the car so we can go."

"Fine. But I want my money when this is over."

"You'll have the other check as soon as you're out of the hospital--- you wouldn't want one of the nurses or orderlies or someone finding it and stealing it now would you?" she reasoned as she got in and started the car, adverting her gaze.

"No. I guess you're right. But as soon as I'm out. I want my money."

"You'll get it, David. The last thing I need is you hounding me or any other member of this family for more money," Natalie replied as she pulled away from her grandfather's house, silently cursing both men.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Natalie slipped out of the hospital once she and Vickie had gotten the news that Jessica had gotten through surgery well and would be moved to recovery soon.

It had been all she could do not to call Marty on the fact that she knew all about her little confession of murder or Miles on his blackmail scheme.

Sighing as she walked out of the hospital and towards her car, she wondered if she was the only one who had figured out the fact that the all too fast marriage between Marty and Miles had been based on something other than love. "Well, someone other than John that is--- as if his telling me to but out wouldn't raise even more red flags in my mind," she muttered to herself as she jostled her keys before reaching her car and unlocking it.

Throwing her purse onto the passenger seat, she couldn't keep a part of herself from feeling sorry for Miles, who really seemed to think that one heloved the shrink from hell and two that she would eventually fall in love with him. "Well it works in the movies and on soaps--- some of the time anyway," she muttered as she slumped into the car and yanked the door closed. "What the hell does she have that I don't? Besides John?" she asked aloud as she put the key into the ignition. Tapping the steering wheel she stared out of the window at a couple passing by, the man half carrying the woman into the hospital evoking memories of times past and causing Natalie to laugh hollowly: "Oh, now I know what it is. Its what she doesn't have. A backbone. I wouldn't be blackmailed into a marriage of convience at this point in my life. A couple of years ago. . . then yeah. . . then I would've needed John to rescue me.

Gee Natalie, guess you finally grew up. Too bad you had to loose the man of your dreams in the process because you're finally able to save yourself. Now all you have to do is figure out how to save your family. That should be a piece of cake compared to the broken heart you have," she told her reflection in the rearview mirror before pulling out of the spot and heading out of the parking lot. "Now I just have to figure out who I can count on to help me help them. . ."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Kevin Buchanan cursed as he listened to his younger half sister relate what she knew of his Grandfather's scheme to have Spencer Truman murdered: "and you're sure about this?" he asked as he ran a hand through his hair, his pacing of his London home office coming to a stop as her words finally did.

"You think if I weren't I'd be calling you or I would've written David Vickers a check for five million dollars?" Natalie challenged.

"Who else knows?"

"I'm guessing John," Natalie started.

"That's great," Kevin cut in as he resumed pacing.

"Oh, wait. It gets better," Natalie put in. "Remember I told you I found out by walking in on Vickers trying to get the money out of Dad? Guess who was at his side? Dorian."

Kevin cursed again: "which means Uncle Bo's going to find out when they have a fight or she gets jealous of Mom or Dad just can't handle the pressure of keeping this secret."

"Right," Natalie sighed as she collapsed onto a sheet covered couch in her darkened cottage, the only place she could think of going for the privacy she knew this call needed. "Grandpa wouldn't be able to survive jail, Kevin. Not even a so called country club one. We've gotta come up with a way to keep him out of it."

Kevin sighed: "You think David is going to settle for the other five million?"

"Would you?" Natalie asked, and then added: "he knows he has us over a barrel. I got rid of Dad so he wouldn't become an accessory after the fact, but. . . Kevin as soon as I wrote that check. . ."

"A good lawyer could argue that you felt duress," Kevin reasoned.

"I was a forensics tech. I was the Police Commissioner's PA. I know the law. . ."

"You were trying to save Jessie."

"If you heard what I told David as a bluff . . . to get him to take just the five million. . ." Natalie exhaled harshly, holding back tears. "Kevin, where the hell am I going to come up with the other five million dollars, I'm barely going to be able to cover the five I wrote the check for. When he realizes he's not getting the money. . ."

"I'll cover it. . ."

"Kevin. . ."

"I'll cover it, and Grandpa can sure as hell pay us both back for covering his a$$," Kevin replied shortly as he stopped by his desk and looked at a picture of Kelly and Zane, trying not to think about the consequences of what he was about to do, but knowing he had to for the sake of his family. "You've had longer to think about this than I have. You have any ideas on how to fix this?"

"Short of Grandpa dying? Nope," Natalie sighed as she leaned forward and ran a hand through her hair.

"Think we can get away with framing David?" Kevin asked as he turned away from his desk and started pacing again.

"KEVIN!"

"Just joking."

"Well, it's not particularly funny. Nor is the thought of Grandpa dying," she chided.

"His deaths nev. . ." Kevin started only to stop short. "You know what I think I might have something.

Can you get Grandpa and meet me alone somewhere tomorrow morning?"

"Getting him out of Nigel's sight isn't going to be easy," Natalie sighed as she sat up and started running over scenarios. "But I can probably get Roxy to distract him. We can meet at my cottage. Most people forget that I still own it. Afterwards I can bring him to see Jess."

"Take him to see her before. Then to the cottage. Say he got tired and the cottage was closer to the hospital," Kevin rationalized. "But only if you get caught."

"Alright. . ." Natalie agreed confused. "But, Grandpa's. . . we're really supposed to be isolating him from the whole Jessica thing. They're worried that he won't be able to handle her condition with his declining health. She didn't even go visit him when she was released from the hospital. Paige wanted her to wait for a little while longer till she was stronger or something."

"Declining health my. . ." Kevin let out a harsh breath: "if they'd let him be and didn't make him worry so much about all of us he'd probably live longer than all of us. Going to see her will probably do him more good than damage. He's stronger than we all give him credit for or he'd be dead a few times over by now. He'll be happy you snuck him out and it will lull him into a false sense of security for when we go in for the kill."

"What kill, Kevin?" Natalie asked a bit nervously.

"Simple. The only way to save him is for him to die," Kevin answered manner of factly as he sat in the chair behind his desk and unbuttoned his suit jacket.

"Kevin. . ." Natalie started, alarm clear in her voice. "Couldn't we. . . I don't know. . . send him somewhere where there wasn't an extradition treaty?"

Kevin laughed at her alarm: "Natalie, calm down. I'm not suggesting we kill the old coot. Just that we fake his death."

"Kevin, do you have _any_ idea what that's gonna do to the family?"

"Unlike you I've been around for his previous fake deaths."

"Still. . ."

"Uncle Bo having to arrest you and Grandpa. Grandpa dying in jail. Whatever you said to Vickers coming out. Dad also being implicated. All of that is so much better?"

"Ok. . . Ok. . . you might have a point."

"_Might?_ Natalie, you know I do," Kevin chided. "You said it yourself. You became an accessory as soon as you wrote that check. I'm one now."

"Oh g-d. Kevin, I didn't want to involve you--- anyone else in this mess. . . not that way. . . I just. . . I didn't know what to do. . . and. . ."

"It doesn't matter now. And it's not your fault. Its Asa's. We're just gonna clean it up. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Kevin, how are you going to explain being in town without visiting Jessica?"

"I'm not. I'm not flying into Lnadview, so only you and Grandpa will ever know I was there," Kevin replied. "You going to be able to do this?"

"It's not like I have a whole lot of choice here is it?" she asked as she leaned back against the back of the couch.

"I'll wire you the money tonight," Kevin continued calmly. "And see you in the morning."

"Alright. I can hold it together till then."

"You're going to need to hold it together longer than that."

"Yeah, well, when I loss it, I'll have a reason to, won't I?" she asked sarcastically.

Shaking his head, Kevin let out a sigh: "welcome to the joys of being a real Buchanan," he replied.

"No offense, but this part I could've done without," she replied caustically as she stared up at the ceiling.

Kevin laughed: "Natalie, no offense, but you're the only one of the others cut out for the job."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Neither Cord or Joey would've thought to get Dad out of there before he wrote that check. As for Jess, she would have gone on one of her righteous indignation tangents and either cost too much time or actually called Uncle Bo instead of just threatening to."

"Then I guess I'm lucky I wasn't the one in need of the transplant then," Natalie sighed. "G-d I need a drink."

"Get some sleep instead. You're going to need a clear head when we confront Asa."

"You really think this will work?"

"It's going to have to," Kevin replied tiredly. "I'll see you in the morning. I have a plan to catch and a meeting to plan to cover this one."

"Night Kevin, and thanks."

"You're the one whose quick thinking we have to be thankful for, Natalie."

"Yeah, right," she countered as she rose. "If I was so good on that front, I wouldn't have needed to involve you in this. I could've handled this on my own."

"We all need help sometimes."

"Yeah, but we all don't get our big brothers involved in illegal activities now do we?"

"Yeah, but how many grandfathers get their grandchildren involved in them?" Kevin countered. "Perspective, Natalie. Don't lose it on this. We're doing this because we don't have a choice. We're going it for the family."

"We're doing it to protect Asa."

"Right."

"To save Asa and the family," Natalie said shaking her head in disbelief. "I can't believe I'm doing this. . . planning this. . . but. . . alright. . . I'll see you in the morning."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Natalie pulled her car to a stop in front of her cottage. "I really can't tell you how much I appreciate you getting me over to see Jessie," Asa commented. "Although, I can't say much about the hour."

"I already told you, Grandpa, it was the only way I could think of to pull it off. Nightshift doesn't know that you technically aren't supposed to be there. Both Paige and Michael where off for once. I was able to get Roxy over to the house to distract Nigel. Also, if Jessica saids anything to anyone about you visiting they'll think that she was just dreaming."

"I don't see why everyone thinks that I can't handle seeing my own granddaughter," he groused.

"They're just worried about you both," Natalie sighed as she reached into the backseat for her purse, tired of rehashing the same argument, and then turned to open her car door. "Come on, I have one more surprise for you."

"You think my poor old heart can take it?" Asa asked sarcastically as he undid his seatbelt.

Leaning back into the car Natalie smirked at him: "as someone recently reminded me, you'll probably outlive us all. Now come on. If I don't get you back soon, you're gonna get us caught and a BE tutoring session is not going to be reason enough to get you a pass."

Shaking his head at her Asa opened the passenger door and leveled himself out of the car. "You sure think of everything, don't you girl?"

"Too bad not everyone does," she muttered as she dug through her purse for her keys as they walked up the path and let them into the cottage. Flicking on the lights, she led Asa into the living room and pulled the sheet off a recliner. "Have a seat," she ordered indicating the cleared chair.

"What are you up to?" Asa asked as he sat down and watched as Natalie walked quickly around the room, looking for something or someone before pulling out her cell phone and hitting a button. Arching an eyebrow he watched as she put it to her ear: "Are you here?" she asked in near panic.

"Turn around," a familiar male voice said from the room's doorway.

Shifting in his seat, Asa smiled broadly at his grandson as Natalie turned and closed her cell phone. "Where'd you park?" she asked nervously.

"Your garage," Kevin answered as he put his own cell phone in his pocket. "You really should find a better hiding place for your spare key," he added as he walked over and gave his younger sister a hug. "You holding up ok?" he asked softly.

Nodding, she pulled back and put a piece of hair behind her ear. "We probably don't have a lot of time. Roxy hasn't called yet. . . but. . ."

"You've been gone a while," Kevin surmised.

"Alright, what's going on?" Asa questioned, growing concern over the Natalie's growing nervousness.

"What? I'm not allowed to visit my sister and Grandfather?" Kevin asked as he watched Natalie cross the room and pull a sheet off of the couch.

"If this visit was taking place at the house I might buy it. I should've known you were up to something with that surprise visit to Jessie. What deal did you two screw up?" Asa demanded.

"More like what deal are we cleaning up that you screwed up," Kevin corrected annoyed.

"I haven't. . ." Asa started to sputter.

"Actually, you have," Natalie cut in as she sat down on the couch. "And Kevin and I are out five million dollars each covering you're a$$."

"The figure alone should ring a bell," Kevin continued, surprised at how well his sister had jumped in to keep him from losing it.

Leaning back in the chair Asa shook his head: "Dagnamit. Vickers. How the hell did you two find out?"

"I walked in on him trying to blackmail Dad for the money," Natalie answered evenly.

"I'll. . ."

"Do nothing," Kevin interrupted. "The leverage he had was enough to make sure he got the money."

"Your father shouldn't have gotten involved," Asa groused.

"Do you see Dad here?" Natalie asked. "Dad didn't get involved. I made sure of that. I got him out of there before David could make him an accessory after the fact. _I _wrote him a check for five million. Kevin's covering the second payment."

"Why two payments? What could he possibly . . ." Asa started, then at Natalie's averted look and Kevin's pained one stopped. "Oh hell, no. I'm going to. . ." he yelled starting to push to his feet.

"Sit down and calm down before you give yourself a heart attack or stroke," Natalie ordered.

"Not that either wouldn't make things a whole lot easier for us," Kevin said caustically.

"Kevin!" Natalie chided as Asa only laughed. "So you're here to what? Fix it?" he asked his grandson.

"Pretty much," Kevin answered. "Thing is, Natalie became an accessory the moment she signed that check. I did when she told me and I gave her the money to cover the second payment, both of which you're paying us back for."

"Of course," Asa replied leaning back in the chair. "So how do you plan on fixing this?"

"Vickers isn't going to settle for ten million once he realizes the damage he can do with the ammunition he has," Kevin started.

"Not to mention that Dorian knows because she was there when he blackmailed Dad for the money and there's a good chance that John knows about your involvement too," Natalie added.

"So use your feminine wiles one the boy," Asa suggested.

"One you have better be talking about John. And two he's more interested in playing hero to Marty Saybrook right now. Seems that since I can pretty much save myself--- well, with the exception of the current situation--- he doesn't have much use for me anymore," she shot back.

"Of course I was talking about that idiot McBaine," Asa shot back. "There's no well in hell you can get involved with the likes of Vickers for numerous reasons!"

"Wouldn't on a bet anyway," Natalie replied evenly. "Now, the problem is how many people know and how few of them are actually able to keep a secret due to either moral or anger issues."

"And you two have clearly concocted some cockamamie scheme to get me out of hot water or I wouldn't be sitting here right now. So what is it? What's the grand plan?"

"It's actually Kevin's idea," Natalie hedged as she looked towards her older brother, still uncertain.

Kevin meanwhile smiled at his grandfather: "It's actually classic Asa when you come down to it. Quite simple really. You're going to have to die."

"I've going to what?!?!? Now you wait right here!"

Kevin merely rounded the chair his Asa was in and put a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back into the seat: "Don't act like you've never faked your death before.

We get you out of town on business .

You die.

We bring back your ashes and have a memorial service. . . "

"Meanwhile, you're in a country without an extradition treaty," Natalie added.

"And you stay put."

"You know what this will do to the family? Renee?" Asa asked angrily.

"You dying in jail would be better?" Natalie asked.

"Not toe mention me in an adjoining cell. Natalie in the women's unit. Uncle Bo's guilt at having put you there. Dad being implicated. Jess's guilt over why the check was written. . ." Kevin started to list.

"Ok, Ok. You have a point," Asa admitted grudgingly. "But I don't want Renee to suffer too long."

"We'll figure something out," Kevin sighed.

"And I'm not giving BE up completely."

"Then you know what you have to do there," Kevin replied with a shrug.

"Yeah, I know. I'll make a call and have the changes made today or tomorrow. Which means you can't enact your little plan too soon," he pointed out.

"Two to three weeks," Kevin thought out loud. "But Vickers hits Natalie up for money, you cover it. You also transfer the funds back to us by close of business today. I can handle being without the money. Natalie can't."

"I'll call the bank and make sure it's taken care. I'll also set up a separate account off shore in case Vickers wants more."

"Just don't do anything else this stupid between now and. . . Natalie, keep a close eye on him. Make it as much about business as you two can so it makes sense when you two meet up with me on a business meeting out of town. We'll also make it a doctor's appointment, A specialist. I just need to figure out how to find an ME to pay off and a doctor who'll do this," Kevin admitted.

"I can cover that," Natalie said without thinking.

"How?"

"A friend who owes me a favor?"

"You sure you can trust them?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah. I'm sure," Natalie replied confidently. "I won't tell him why. Or what for. If I did, he'd go after Vickers himself. Wouldn't be anything left---I'll… I'll just hint that I'm in trouble. He might put the pieces together later, but he'll have my back," she replied.

"You sure? We can't take any chances."

"Yeah, Kevin. I'm sure. If you want, to make sure. . . when this is over. . . I know he needs a backer for a business venture. . . let me make it one of my deals. . .But I'm telling you, he'll be more mad that I'm trying to pay him off for helping me than that I'm making my first major deal with him. He's a decent guy when he wants to be. He has his friends backs. That's more than I can say for a lot of people around here. If I ask for his help he'll help, no questions asked. I'll just owe him a favor down the line.

Now, its getting late and I need to get Grandpa back to the house. A tutoring sessions shouldn't run so long."

"Yeah, I need to get to my meeting. I'll call with more details when I have them. Be careful with Vickers--- both of you," Kevin said before heading towards the back of the house.

"Well, I have to say, I didn't think you had it in you, but I'm glad you do," Asa said getting to his feet.

"Just save it till this is over, Grandpa," Natalie sighed. "We still have to pull it off."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Natalie put her cell phone back into the pocket of her jeans as she and Asa walked back into his mansion. "Well, our luck held, out. That was Roxy. She just left," she told him as she helped him out of his coat.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Sugar," Renee said from the stairs as she walked down them at a quick, annoyed, clip. "Just because you managed to give Nigel the slip doesn't mean that I didn't notice Asa was gone, or for how long. And don't tell me you two were at BE because I already called there and checked."

"Now Renee, what one earth is wrong with me spending time with my granddaughter?" Asa asked, hoping to sweet talk his wife while Natalie just stood there uncomfortably.

"At this hour and out of the house?" she shot back. "Asa Buchanan you know full well what the doctors say and I don't plan on going to your funeral anytime soon!"

"And I don't plan on dying anytime soon so we're in agreement on that," he replied.

"Go back to bed before you fall over, or Nigel realizes what you've been up to," she ordered with more then a tinge of exasperation to her voice.

"I do not take orders from my staff," Asa bristled.

"Asa, I swear to G-d if you don't get up there. . ."

"Alright, alright," he gave in. "I'll see you this afternoon?" he asked turning is attention back to Natalie.

"If you're up to it," Renee put in.

"What? I can't have visitors now? A prisoner in my own home?"

"When you pull fool stunts like this?" Renee retorted pointing to the stairs. She stood there watching Natalie stone faced till her husband had climbed then and she was sure he was out of earshot before she deciding to let the squirming girl off the hook, and allowed her façade to crumble and started laughing. "Oh darling, I'm sorry about that, but I had to let him have it with both barrels or he'd be sneaking off all the time," she apologized. "You snuck him in to see Jessica, didn't you?" Renee added as she took Natalie by the arm and led her into the living room.

"Yeah. I thought it might do them both some good," Natalie admitted in relief that they had gotten pass the first hurtle of this scheme and they sat down.

"You should've just told me or Nigel, we've been trying to figure out how to do it ourselves, although I'm sure that Nigel appreciated the um. . . distraction. . . that you arranged."

Natalie blushed slightly at Renee's knowing remark, "all I could think of on short notice. Besides I thought you were in agreement with the rest of the family about keeping Grandpa here and in the dark about Jessica's health."

Renee shrugged as she shifted on the couch: "sometimes it's easier going along with them, even when you have your own agenda," she admitted and then shook her head. "So how are you doing? Are you enjoying working at BE?"

"It's. . . different," Natalie admitted.

"Asa's happy you choose to come on board finally."

"Yeah. He and Kevin seem to think I have the makings of a 'real Buchanan,'" Natalie sighed.

Renee only raised an eye at that, taking in the ramifications as she wondered what scheme the three could possibly be cooking up. "A tough distinction to carry."

"It seems to make Grandpa happy," Natalie backtracked at the other woman's tone. "And there are worse titles I could be saddled with."

"I supposed. Any interesting deals?"

Natalie shrugged: "Nothing major at the moment. A couple might be coming up. Grandpa wants me to spend more time with him so he can tutor me through one with Kevin. Lots of conference calls, I think. Maybe a meeting or two out of town," she answered, laying the groundwork and wondering if Renee would realize that when she spoke of the out of town meetings she included Asa in them.

"I'm sure you'll enjoy the experience. And you'll be lucky to have Kevin there with you on your first out of town meetings."

"Yeah. The moral support will be great, plus he can do most of the presentation. I'll just have to do most of the prep work."

"Just make sure he doesn't get all the credit," Renee advised.

"Sometimes, it's better to let other people take the credit," Natalie demurred. "I might have brought part of this--- project--- to Kevin's attention, but it's his brainstorm."

"Don't sell yourself short, Honey. I'm sure you've added, and will add a lot to this, and many other deals."

Natalie sighed and looked at her watch. At the realization of the time, she shot to her feet: "yeah, well, if I don't get home and changed for my first meeting I'm going to screw up a deal before it even gets off the ground. Tell Asa I'll be by later."

"Alright. And Natalie, next time you want to sneak him into the hospital, let me know. I ummm. . .. I know a few. . . let's call them, escape routes, to lessen the chances of you getting caught," Renee remarked as she also got to her feet to walk the younger woman out.

"OK," Natalie replied distractedly as she dug for her keys in her purse. "You better go and check on Grandpa and make sure he's getting some rest and not up to some sort of mischief."

"I'll see you later. Should I have Nigel set a place for you for diner?" Renee asked as they walked out of the living room.

"Ummm. . .. sure. . . It'll probably be easier for me to get here then then for lunch, and I don't think I'm supposed to watch Bree tonight."

"Well, if you are, just bring her with you. That's another face it's been too long since we've seen around here."

"If I can manage to talk Nash out of the car seat I will," Natalie agreed with a smile. "I'll see you tonight?"

"Sure you will," Renee smiled back. "I'm not going anywhere."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Natalie hurried off the elevator and towards her office at BE, cursing under her breath to the amusement of the man leaning against the wall next to her office door. "You know, Buchanan, that language isn't exactly professional," he chided as she reached him.

"Yeah, well neither is being late for my first major business meeting first thing in the morning," she replied. "Thanks for coming on such short notice."

"One, no one else is here to notice that you were late, or are they invisible?" he asked as he pretended to scan the nearby area, earning a slight laugh from Natalie. "So, it'll be our secret. And two, you know I can't refuse you anything," he added with a broad smile.

"Except when I ask you out on a date," she retorted as she opened the door to her office and gestured for him to precede her into it.

"Ladies first," he laughed, watching as she rolled her eyes in exasperation and went in. "Besides, I didn't want to be your rebound guy and I thought we agreed that we'd just end up killing each other."

"But we would've had fun along the way," Natalie shot back as she went to her desk and put her briefcase on the floor next to it.

"You're a piece of work, Buchanan, you know that?"

"And you're a prize, Jones?"

"Maybe not, but I'm considerate," Vincent replied as he put a paper bag on her desk.

Raising an eyebrow, Natalie opened it and shook her head as she took out a cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich. "Thanks, I did need this," she said with a smile as she took a sip of coffee from the cup. "I don't believe you remember what I like and how I take my coffee."

Sitting in the chair across from her, Vincent shrugged: "I remember what's important."

Sighing, Natalie fiddled with the lip of the coffee's lid: "Layla's a lucky girl."

"No offense, but I don't think you called me as late as you did last night to meet you this early this morning to flirt or talk about my relationship with Layla. So what's up?"

"Well, I called for a couple of reasons," Natalie admitted.

"Being. . ."

"My Grandfather's letting me put together my own deals--- my own portfolio. So I was wondering if you still need a backer for your building project?"

"Are you serious?" Vincent asked shifting forward in his seat, surprised.

"I'll need a perspective and we'll have to work up a proposal, and work out the legalities including the split of profits, but yeah. I am," she replied. "I decided I wanted my first big deal to be with someone I can trust."

Vincent nodded: "I can get you all of that and your lawyers and my lawyers can hash out the legalities and the numbers, but I get the majority share."

"Of course. Your property. Your brainchild. Just our money. But, we need to get more out of this than just our investment to make it worth our while."

"You certainly picked this up quick. Knew you would."

"Glad someone did," Natalie said with a smile as she took another sip of her latte, "of course the jury's still out. I have a lot more still to prove."

Vincent raised an eyebrow at both her words and tone: "why do I think that's the other reason I'm here?"

Natalie sighed: "do you ever think that no matter how hard we try. No matter how 'respectable' we become. That we'll never leave the people we were before behind?"

"What do you mean and what have you gotten yourself into now?"

"I can't. . ." Natalie paused as she got up and started to pace. "I can't get into the details," she admitted, "but suffice to say, I had to do something that could get me into a lot of trouble to protect my family."

"And you need my help getting out of it?" Vincent deduced, then added a bit annoyed: "what's the development deal? A bribe? Damnit Natalie, I thought you knew me better than that. That we were pass. . ."

"No. I know you have my back. That I can trust you. That all I have to do is ask and owe you a marker later," Natalie interrupted. "I told you the truth. I _really_ want my first major deal to be with someone I can trust. I was working on something else, but. . . I realize that it's not what I want and it's not right for this company."

"What do you need?"

"You're really still willing to help?" Natalie asked a bit surprised.

Vincent shook his head: "I don't turn my back on friends. I'll chalk this up to stress. Lord knows with all you've been going through you've had enough of it."

"Thank you."

"Yeah, well, you were there standing up for me when it looked bad and no one else was willing to--- even after what I did to Christian."

"I gave you what for when I had to."

Vincent laughed: "sometimes you have more mouth than brains. You're going to have to learn to control that before it gets you into trouble."

"A little late for that."

"So what do you need?"

"This," Natalie said going back to her desk and pulling out an envelop and handing it to him.

Taking it, Vincent opened it and pulled out a typed list, read part of it and then looked at Natalie: "you're kidding me right?"

"Vincent. . ."

"Tell me you're not planning what this looks like you're planning."

"Did you read the whole list?"

"I kinda got stuck on the ME part, Natalie," Vincent answered, his voice strained.

"Keep reading then," she said as she went back behind her desk.

Shaking his head, Vincent did what she asked. "Seems like you're not the only one who did something stupid in the name of family. I'm assuming this has something to do with the reason that idiot Vickers is skulking around town."

"I'm not confirming or denying anything," Natalie told him. "Can you help?"

"It'll take a few days, but yeah. I can get you the stuff. Just tell me this, how badly is Vickers bothering you, because I'll take care of him too."

"He's not bothering me enough for you to step in."

"Natalie. . ."

"Vincent, I can handle David. If he thinks I'm afraid of him in any way it'll give him more power. And overall he's really pretty harmless. I don't want to give him more power. Besides, you can't help me if you're in jail."

"Ok, you have a point. Besides, I don't like the fact that Harmon's still around Undressed," Vincent conceded.

"Think he's going to make Layla or Adrianna a target?"

"You remember that song--- something about being taught to hate?"

"_You Have to Be Carefully Taught?_" Natalie asked. "Yeah. I know it. I used to love the movie it's from as a kid."

"You go by that, some of it had to have rubbed of on Tate, and Rex has a point. There's something off about him."

"Gee, his Tom Cruise rip-off stunt on the View didn't tip you off to that?" Natalie asked. "And you only have a point if his father did it," she added as she picked her coffee up and took another sip.

"You think he went down too easy too, huh?"

"Got caught too easy too. The guy supposedly planted two bombs in a hospital without getting caught and taunted this town for months, not to mention framing you and Christian pretty effectively. . . Something's not right, and maybe if the mayor wasn't on Uncle Bo's back and Nora wasn't the prosecutor and wasn't looking at this through victim's eyes. . ."

"You're right, it doesn't add up."

"Besides, what better way to cover yourself than date the high profile Hispanic sister of the investigating officer?" Natalie commented. "Adrianna couldn't manage to make a decent choice when it came to a guy if her life depended on it, and it has."

"That including your brother?" Vincent asked with a laugh.

"Rex deserved better that to be her act of rebellion against Mommy. Sooner or later he'll figure it out."

"Rumor has it he's spending time with some blonde hellcat, maybe he finally is," Vincent remarked.

"Yeah, well. . ." Natalie started as the intercom on her desk buzzed. "Ms. Buchanan, Mr. Buchanan's on line 2 for you," her assistant's voice said.

Rolling her eyes, Natalie crossed to her desk and hit a button: "which one?"

"I didn't get clarification," the voice admitted.

"In the future do," Natalie replied shortly. "In the meantime, tell him I'm finishing up a meeting and will be with him shortly."

"Yes ma'm."

Vincent chuckled: "Damn, the devil wears. . . what is it you're wearing?"

"Off the rack," Natalie laughed. "Please, if I ever did that to my uncle. . .well, let's just say that I knew better. Look, I really have take this. I'm working on something with my brother Kevin, or it could be my Dad about Jess."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can take a hint. Just watch your back around Vickers and if you need anything, call me. I'll take care of him for you."

Walking him towards the door, Natalie sighed tiredly: "you know if it were only me involved I'd take you up on that offer, but---"

"I've got your back with the other stuff, but you're gonna owe me big."

Natalie laughed slightly: "don't I know it. In the meantime get me the other paperwork together so we can get the development deal started and I have something to keep my mind occupied. And watch your back around Harmon."

"I'll get you the paperwork. And I always watch my back, so does Sean." He said simply before walking out.

Tiredly, Natalie closed the door behind him and crossed the room. Sitting back down behind her desk she exhaled and picked up the phone, hitting the button for line 2: "Natalie Buchanan."

"Took you long enough," Kevin groused.

"One I was finishing up a meeting and two my assistant didn't say it was you," she replied evenly.

"You get him home ok?"

"Yeah. Renee caught us. Gave him hell, but was fine with me. Figured out I had taken him to the hospital to see Jess. Said she was fine with it but doesn't want him to know that. I'm going back over there tonight."

"Good. How long till you can talk to your friend about the stuff?"

"Already taken care of."

"Natalie, you have to be careful about this," Kevin warned.

"I'm not stupid, Kevin. I told you there was a deal he was working on that BE could invest in. That's the meeting I just finished. Like I figured, he was pissed when he thought the deal was a bribe to get him to help, but he'll do it. He marked it up to stress."

"He doesn't know. . ."

"The details no. The gist, he figured out."

"Damnit Natalie!"

"Kevin, I warned you he would. He's not some idiot suit, ok? Some suit wouldn't be able to pull this off or have the fortitude to help us. Never mind the connections.

Now, it was either ask him or Rex and Rex would've screwed it up somewhere down the line. This guy won't.

He'll also have people watching David."

"That's just what we need."

"Yeah. It is. David's worried about other people he won't be worried about us. He also steps too far out of line with me he'll have a few people to answer to. John might be focusing on Marty right now, but if David starts something he'll put him in his place, but not before this guy does. And trust me, David doesn't want to mess with him."

"You sure that he doesn't know everything?"

"I don't want David dead or my friend in jail, ok? He hears what he pulled on me and they both will end up that way.

Look, it'll take a couple of days for him to get the stuff and I don't think we should be having these calls on the office phones."

"You're probably right. I'll call your cell. But we have to come up with a deal---"

"There's a company that's in trouble that BE might want to look into taking over. Dad passed on the deal, but I took another look over the numbers because I was bored out of my mind. . ." Natalie started to ramble.

"If Dad passed. . ."

"Kevin, one of the classed I aced in the Forensics program was forensic accounting."

"I don't follow."

"They played with the numbers. I was bored enough to follow the money trail to find proof. With that ammo we can probably do some damage and get them. . ."

"To resubmit the deal in our favor," Kevin cut her off impressed. "You rechecked the numbers because you were bored and found what our accountants couldn't?"

"Something just hit me. They probably weren't trained for it."

"Send me the files Natalie, and your notes."

"Sure. No problem. I just have to type them up."

"That's what you have a secretary for."

"Boredom, Kevin."

"Well, if this pans out channel that into analyzing more company finances."

"Ohhh fun!'

"Just send me the files," Kevin said laughing.

"You got 'em."


End file.
